Power over Ethernet, or “POE”, technology transmits electrical power, along with data, to remote devices over standard cable within an Ethernet network. POE technology is useful for powering devices such as Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) telephones, Wireless Local Area Network (“WLAN”) access points, network cameras, remote network switches, embedded computers, as well as other appliances. A POE system may be implemented where it would otherwise be inconvenient, expensive or infeasible to supply power separately. The technology is somewhat comparable to Plain-Old Telephone Service (“POTS”) telephones, which also receive power and data, although analog, through the same cable.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) 802.3 standards define a physical layer, as well as a media access control (“MAC”) sub-layer of the data link layer, of wired Ethernet. Physical connections are made between nodes and/or infrastructure devices (e.g., hubs, switches, routers, etc.) by various types of copper or fiber cable. Accordingly, a network switch may provide a proper forwarding of signals to various network components. The network switch may also provide power to the various network components. As mentioned above, a POE system may transmit electrical power, along with data, to these remote devices in an Ethernet network. For example, an access point (“AP”) may be powered using POE from the network switch.